Vai, the film

After watching the film, read the article here and discuss with
your classmates. What resonates with you? What rings true?
Why? How? Who do you know that could be one or more of the
Vais in the film? How? Why?

Eight Lives, One Ocean: Vai Celebrates the Staggering Resilience of Pasifika women

Now consider where you can find evidence of the resilience of

Pasifika women in a particular scene in one of the 8 small films
included in Vai
When considering evidence, focus on
quotes/dialogue/vocabulary/language, setting, camera
shots/angles.
Ask some questions:
1/ How does the dialogue between …….&........ Show us
resilience in one or both in this scene?
2/ How does the director use certain techniques to get their
message of resilience in Pasifika women across in this scene?

Compare and contrast

Discuss the different perspectives of the lecturer and Vai in the

film shot at Unitec
Explain these quotes and their connection to the theme of
resilience in Pasifika women

Lecturer; “Vai, you could do amazing things for your

people, but you need to cut out all of these distractions…”

Vai; “I know what I am capable of, but you just won’t listen
to me!”
“My family, my village have sacrificed so much for me to
be here, and I’m not going to waste it”

What is the symbolism used and how does it connect the

audience (us) emotionally to the message in Solomon
Islands Vai?

1/ Describe it and discuss the director’s purpose...what does

the director want us to see? Feel? Connect to? Think about?
Experience?
2/ Explain how this connects to the theme of resilience in
Pasifika women?
Choose two scenes, each from a different short film in Vai
e.g. Tongan Vai with the singer “no, but I will teach you how
to use your own beautiful voice”

and

Cook Islands Vai

where she finds her voice to speak up for what she believes in
to protect her oceans and health of her people
Describe and explain the connection to the theme of
finding your own voice from each scene
Can you make a connection between the two films?
Describe the similarities, the differences, the message/s